In a Moment
by Forever in Your Heart
Summary: In a moment everything can change. Remus, Sirius and Peter on that fateful night in 1981 that changed everything. Hinted James/Lily


In an apartment on the outskirts of London, Remus Lupin sits in his kitchen. It's late at night and he should be sleeping but there is a tight knot in his stomach. The last of the children trick-or-treating have long ago stopped knocking on his door. He doesn't know why but he feels as if something terrible is about to happen. He sighs and blames the fact that this is the middle of a war and something is always going wrong. He thinks of Lily and James and their little son Harry, hiding away and marked for death. He thinks of Sirius, who he hasn't spoken to in so long because he has to keep Lily and James safe. He thinks of Peter who seems to slowly be losing his mind. He thinks of all the friends he's lost in this whole terrible war. He thinks of all the families that have been torn apart. He thinks of the young woman sleeping in his guest room, the woman whose husband has a top secret job with The Order and who she might very well never see again. He thinks of all the dreams he had for life that will never be realised. He thinks of the smile, bright and cheery, of a young girl with hair that changes colour named Nymphadora that doesn't understand the darkness surrounding her.

He thinks of all these things and more as he sits at his kitchen table on October 31st, 1981 and has no idea that in that very moment his whole world is about to change.

In a dark alleyway, Peter Pettigrew cries. It's dark and cold and he can't stop crying. He cries for everything he's done. All of the things that keep him up and night and leave him racked with guilt. He cries for the person he wishes he was. The person that would be unable to do the things he's done. He cries for all the friends he has betrayed. The ones that trusted and loved him like a family. He cries in pain, anguish, heartbreak, guilt and self-loathing. He cries because he wishes someone would just end him right now because he doesn't deserve to live. He cries because he hates himself. He cries because he' sold the Potters to Voldemort. He's sold three innocent people to Voldemort and he'll never get over it. He's disgusting, pathetic and sickening. He wants to die. He wants to die right now so he'll never have to face himself again. He wants that but he knows he'll never get it. He knows he'll live on and do even more terrible things. He knows it and he hates himself for it but he'll do it anyway. Peter Pettigrew cries because he knows that tomorrow he will continue to be the person that he hates more than anything.

And as Peter Pettigrew cries on Halloween of 1981, the act that will change the Wizarding world, the act he helped come to fruition, happens.

In a safe and secret location Sirius Black remembers. He remembers his care free school days, goofing off with his three best friends, charming beautiful girls. He remembers giving a speech at James and Lily's wedding, holding little Harry Potter in his arms and finally escaping his oppressive family. He remembers a beautiful girl with blue eyes and blonde hair that he fears he'll never see again. He remembers poker night, smuggling alcohol into his dorm and flying his motorbike through the sky. He remembers Remus pestering him to do homework, laughing with James and teasing Peter. He remembers being told he was a godfather and he remembers being reunited with Andromeda. But most importantly he remembers being told that Lily and James were marked for death. That is the terrifying memory that hovers in the forefront of his mind. He tries to banish it and concentrate on happy thoughts but he can't. His best friends, his _family _are in constant terrible danger. And not the normal, we're-fighting-in-a-war-and-we-might-die-way but the Voldemort-is-hunting-you-down-way. He is scared for them and all he can do is sit in his room and pray that Peter stays strong.

Unfortunately for Sirius, the very thing he prays will not happen is taking place at that very second on the last day of October in 1981.


End file.
